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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 20 January 2021
to embrace Biden's virus re-
lief package, arguing that
"the smartest thing we can
do is act big."
Aides say Biden will use
Wednesday's inaugural ad-
dress — one that will be de-
livered in front of an unusu-
ally small in-person group
because of virus protocols
and security concerns
and is expected to run 20
to 30 minutes — to call for
American unity and offer
an optimistic message that
Americans can get past
the dark moment by work-
ing together. To that end,
he extended invitations to
Congress' top four Republi-
can and Democratic lead-
ers to attend Mass with him
at St. Matthew's Cathedral
ahead of the inauguration
ceremony.
As Biden presses bipartisan-
ship, he's also facing pres-
sure from his left to go big
right away, with the pro-
gressive wing of the Dem-
ocratic Party calling on
Senate Democrats to help
President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden board a plane at New Castle Airport, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in New Castle, Del. by doing away with the
Associated Press chamber's filibuster.
"We are glad President-
Continued from Front Trump plans to depart from VID-19. on the first day of his ad- elect Biden is ready to start
Biden, who ran for the Washington Wednesday Inaugural organizers on ministration, hoping to pro- addressing the desperate
presidency as a cool head morning in a grand airbase Monday finished installing vide an eight-year path to needs of the American
who could get things done, ceremony that he helped some 200,000 small U.S., citizenship for an estimated people and put forth a Co-
plans to issue a series of ex- plan himself. state and territorial flags on 11 million people living in vid aid proposal which be-
ecutive orders on Day One Biden at his Delaware fare- the National Mall, a display the U.S. without legal sta- gins to address the many is-
— including reversing Presi- well, held at the National to represent the American tus. That would be a major sues we face," the progres-
dent Donald Trump's effort Guard/Reserve Center people who couldn't come reversal from the Trump ad- sive groups Justice Demo-
to leave the Paris climate named after his late son to the inauguration, which ministration's tight immigra- crats, Sunrise Movement
accord, canceling his trav- Beau Biden, paid tribute is restricted under the tight tion policies. and New Deal Strategies
el ban on visitors from sev- to his home state. After his security and Covid restric- But Biden's legislative am- wrote in a memo on Mon-
eral predominantly Muslim remarks, he stopped and tions. bitions could be tempered day. "We hope ten Senate
countries, and extending chatted with friends and It's also a reminder of all by the hard truth he faces Republicans will support
pandemic-era limits on well-wishers in the crowd, the president-elect faces on Capitol Hill, where Dem- it, but are not holding our
evictions and student loan much like an Iowa rope line as he looks to steer the na- ocrats hold narrow majori- breath. The big question is,
payments. at the start of his long cam- tion through the pandemic ties in both the Senate and what happens when Re-

Trump won't attend Biden's paign journey. with infections and deaths House. His hopes to press publicans block Biden?"
inauguration, the first out- "I'll always be a proud son soaring. forward with an avalanche Ahead of Biden's arrival, 12
going president to skip the of the state of Delaware," Out of the starting gate, of legislation in his first 100 U.S. Army National Guard
ceremony since Andrew said Biden, who struggled Biden and his team are in- days could also be slowed members were removed
Johnson more than a cen- to hold back tears as he tent on moving quickly to by an impeachment trial of from the presidential inau-
tury and a half ago. Trump delivered brief remarks. speed up the distribution Trump. guration security mission af-
remained out of sight in the Aides say that Biden's first of vaccinations to anxious As Biden prepared to make ter they were found to have
White House on Tuesday event in Washington, along Americans and pass his his way to Washington, five ties with right-wing militia
with a bare announced with Vice President-elect $1.9 trillion virus relief pack- of his Cabinet picks were groups or posted extremist
schedule. Aides said he Kamala Harris, will be to age, which includes quick appearing on Tuesday be- views online, according to
had recorded a farewell take part in an evening payments to many people fore Senate committees to two U.S. officials. There was
message and was consult- ceremony at the Reflecting and an increase in the mini- begin confirmation hear- no threat to President-elect
ing with advisers on final- Pool near the Lincoln Me- mum wage to $15 an hour. ings. Treasury nominee Ja- Joe Biden, they said.
hour pardons and grants of morial to honor the 400,000 Biden also plans to unveil a net Yellen, Defense nomi- The officials, a senior intelli-
clemency. American lives lost to CO- sweeping immigration bill nee Lloyd Austin, Home- gence official and an Army
LIKE US ON land Security nominee Ale- official briefed on the mat-
jandro Mayorkas, Secretary ter, did not say which fringe
of State nominee Antony group the Guard members
Blinken and Director of Na- belonged to or what unit
tional Intelligence nominee they served in. The officials
Avril Haines were being were not authorized to
questioned. speak publicly and spoke
Yellen at her confirmation to The Associated Press on
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ hearing urged lawmakers condition of anonymity.q